New member / New Willys Wagon Owner

[LarrBeard]

Get used to it ... Jeep Wagons and Trucks attract attention.

I had a road crew flagman stop me one day so he and his buddies could take selfies with the '48.

[JW1954WAGON]

Good Morning!

I was hoping someone could tell me about this Wagon I just purchased. It is supposed to be a 1954, but wondering based on previous registration documents? Also, can you tell by the pics if this is the original engine. It appears to be the F-head 134, just wasn't sure if it was the original motor. Also the engine ID plate to me makes out on the model # as (1FU 4F) from what I can tell. Any info would be appreciated. It wont let me post pics here. but I have them in the other forum for technical. Thanks again!

[LarrBeard]

The answer is in the last picture you posted;

"454FA2" is the prefix for a 1954 4 x 4 Wagon - good information there.

Serial numbers for 1954 wagons started at 10001 and ran through 13528, a production run of 3,528 wagons.

And, the engine is a solid F-134 which is the correct engine for that model year.

What does the rest of it look like?

[JW1954WAGON]

Thanks for the feedback! Any way to know if the engine is original? With 88k, Im thinking it is. This thread wont let me post pics for some reason, but I have a pic of the Wagon in my intro. There is some rust in the usual places, need some good tlc, probably wont do a full restore , just get her driveable.

[bmorgil]

JW, try this if you havn't already. Click on this link.

https://willysjeepforum.kaiserwillys...re-in-a-thread

[LarrBeard]

"Any way to know if the engine is original? "

Unfortunately, not really. The F-134 was so widely used that engine numbers vs. year of vehicle don't have much correlation. There may be information somewhere (and if there is - someone here will point us to that source).

Look on the boss behind the water pump. If you can see a stamped serial number, the engine may not have been overhauled. Some rebiulders would restamp the number though - so that is not a definite indication.

When the block gets planed, the serial number usually gets ground off. On some F-134's, after overhaul, the original number gets stamped on a boss on the left side of the block above the fuel pump.

Just remember one of the Laws of Jeep:

"What you see is what you have"

and another:

"Don't believe anything you read or someone tells you until you verify it yourself."

And last:

Never say; "Willys-Overland/Kaiser would not have _______________________ ", (fill in the blank). If they could, they would and probably did at some time or another.

Enjoy your wagon.

[56willys]

If your new to the willys world. Like I was a year ago. Something you need to learn, is that what Larrbeard said above is 100% true. The folks here keep trying to tell me that, and the more I dig into my jeep the more I realize how true it is. Willys/kaiser never kept good records. And kind of did what ever they wanted. Without ryme or reason.

Although one thing you can check when you disassemble the engine. Is check on the top deck of the block. There should be marks by each cylinder with a letter. Those letters would state what size the bore is so workers could match a piston to each bore. To get the most specific tolerances. There is a letter code. With A, B, C, D, stating different bore sizes. If the letters are vivid and sharp. Then your engine has never been decked. Meaning not that it couldn't have been, but unlikely that you motor was rebuilt. Also then measure the bore to see if it matches each letter tolerance. If it does then it's never been bored. Even more unlikely that it was rebuilt.

If the letters are faint or not present. Or the bore doesn't match what the letter means
Then it has likely been rebuilt.

This doesn't really help finding out if it's original to you jeep. But some cool information could be found about your engine.

[bmorgil]

I think the important thing here is, the motor you have in there, is the original or is the "same as the original" for the vehicle you have.

[56willys]

Your right Bob. Either original, or replaced with a 20 years newer. It is still the same 134.2 Cid. And 75 horsepower is the same as 75 horsepower.